Neck AND lower back issues

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rich_n_gayle
Participant

August 9, 2011 at 8:44 pm

Post count: 1

#2174

Hi,
New to this site so I apologize if I haven’t found a relevant thread to answer my question.

First a quick history on my back/neck: I had C7 surgery about 10 years ago (on the right side). No fuse, just cut some of a herniated disc to free up a pinched nerve – successful surgery for the most part. My lower back has always provided me some stiffness/pain issues (nothing extreme though). Hips/hip flexors/lower back always VERY tight.

Started Bikram about 8 months ago. Began with only 1 or 2 x per week, but last couple of months increased to at least 3x per week (it really may be the only thing I’ve ever done that actually calms my mind down for 90 min).

Anyway, i’ve noticed an increase in pain/discomfort in both my neck and lower back in the recent few weeks (only i have the luck to get 2 injuries at once!). The neck issue is actually on the left side now – it’s from the C region and travels down behind the left scapula. I’d say if you ever slept on your nect wrong and had a really stiff neck that would be a similar feeling. My fingers actually have been getting tingles in them as well. It seems that the compression poses (chin to chest, forehead on the knee) creates the issue more than anything else.

The lower back also has been giving me issues – pain/discomfort in the lower lumbar region (around the disc area) with tingling in both feet throughout the day). Again I’d say compression poses seem to trigger it – half moon (both sides and backward), camel. The forward poses don’t seem to be as bad.

My question (in a long drawn out way – sorry!) is if there are ways to adjust doing these poses? Is it critical that your head touch your knee in Standing separate leg for example?

I’m hesitating going to the doc for fear they would just say “if yoga hurts then stop doing yoga” – really not an option at this point as I really love going. I do focus a lot on my form but truth be told I do have a bit of a competitive spirit and afraid i may have pushed the poses too far.

Any advice is appreciated.

Rich

Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
Forum Owner

August 14, 2011 at 3:53 pm

Post count: 3048

#8825

Hi Rich

Welcome to the forum! And thanks for all the details. It will certainly help us get you on your way.

It is impossible to say what your technique is like and if it’s causing the problems. You could be doing what you’re told and still it could be an issue. So it could take us a little while to start to break this all down.

I would like to advise taking a look at some of the other threads regarding pose technique to start to see whether what I suggest is something that you’re either already doing (regarding proper technique) and if the ideas resonate with you.

In particular I would be asking you to start letting go of the tension in your neck and shoulders. There is a LOT of material about this on the forum, there is a TON of it in my Hot Yoga MasterClass manual too (complete with photos of how things look when you’re NOT doing the right thing for your body – this is arguably the most valuable part of the book).

It’s particularly important for you to work this issue out with your neck. But I know you know that! 😉

>>> It would be very handy to know if your teachers tell you to straighten your arms to the sides of your head and glue them there. Can you tell me if you do that please?

>>> You are right! A doctor would say ‘if it hurts, then don’t do it’. That is pretty sage advice. It does depend on the extent of the hurt. It’s important to know that discomfort and PAIN are different. It seems you are in pain and you have numbness/tingling that should not be there for sustained periods if at all. So thanks for coming to the forum. We’ll work this out.

>>> Muscling through the practice is a classic male energy thing to do. So next class see what you can do to surrender to the calm that I know you have inside of you! Be less rigid and more fluid. That links quite directly to the clamping of the arms to the side of the head. Now just to be clear here: It is possible to have straight arms and have them close to the head. BUT I am pretty sure you’re not ready for that quite yet. So read some posts on shoulders, half moon, muscling through the practice, standing sep leg head to knee and you should be on your way.

>>> Oh, lastly, read the post called: Opening Up Your Hamstrings With Hot Yoga for some ideas about the lower half of your body.

See you back here with some responses I hope!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂
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